Automatic dash-light apparatus for automobiles



Feb. 25, 1930. B. L. HART 1,748,221

AUTOMATIC DASHLIGHT APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES v Filed sept. 26, 1927 A TTORNEY Patented Feb.y 25, 1930 y BURCEARD L. HART, F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA- Y AUTOMATIC DASH-LIGHT APPARATUS SFOR,AUTOMOIBILES,V

Application led September 26,1927.V Serial Nl 222,158.

My invention relates to automatic dashylight apparatus for automobiles and the objects kof my invention are: first, to provide means for automatically illuminating the floor board controls and indicators of an automobile when the clutch pedalis pressed fory yward and the clutch thrown out; second, to provide an electric switch means operable on forward movement of the clutch pedal for connecting lamps conveniently located for illuminating the controls and the floor board of a car or other vehicle; third, to provide a device of this class operable by the clutch pedal which may be readily installed in any make of car, and fourth, to provide a device of this class which is simple and economical of construction, durable, easy to install, and

, which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.y f

With ythese Vand other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consistsrof certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claim, reference being had to the f accompanying drawings and to the characi ters of 'reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

FigureL l is a side elevational view of part of the front portion of an automobile indiv eating by dotted lines the location of the va-` rious parts of said apparatus; Fig. 2 isl a sectional view taken along the line 2-,2 inV i5 Fig; l, showing the relative position of a switch and `dashboard lamp and method of operating the switch; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken along the lines 3 3 of Fig. y2, and F ig. 4 is a connection diagram l0 showing the control of the lampwhen Vused y in'fconnection with my device. y

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts andfportions throughout the n several views of the drawings. v

'h5 The switch 1, springz2, cable 3, clamp 4, connection 5la`mp 6, connection 7, lamp 8, push button switch 9, and connection 10,

\ form the principal parts and portions of my device. Y

i0 The switch l, which may be of any conventional construction and 'preferably'a reciprocating type normally held in open positionis preferably secured vto the front of' the dashboard D of the automobile, in a position directly over the clutch lever C and 551:;

towards the top of the dashboard D. Positioned beneath the floor board F a clamp means 4 is secured tothe clutch lever C." The cla-mp4 maybe formed of sheet metal and 'f may `besecured by means of a screw' 4a rigidly in place, and isv provided with an ear 4b having a perforation 4.l The switch'l is connected bymeans of a helicalspring 2 and* the flexiblek cable 3 to the ear 4"'of the clamp 4,' in any' desirable manner. A guide 3a which may assume the form of lan eye screw is secured to the bottom of the dashboard D inline with the. switch and the clamp 4, and serves to guide the cable 3 and prevent it from touching the floor boards' and facilitates its free movement. In orderto provide means for adjusting'the tension of the ycable/3 rva turnbuckle or similar dev-ice 1l' maybe provided@y As illustrated in Fig.4 one terminal of thel 75-V switch l is connected tothe battery A of the car, the negative terminal of which is invariably grounded tothe frame of the car. The other switch terminal is connected to the' lampt andthe -lamp 8 by means of wires and r7. As yboth l lampsv aregrounded to 'the' car frame thevcircuity tothe battery =is y'completed-'therethroughf When the clutch lever C is pressed forward and assumes the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the clamp 4 travels downwardly with respect to the switch l, and causes the cable 3 to `move into the vertical position indicated by dotted lines, thereby causing the switch l to be closed and extending the helical spring 2, after the switch l has reached its closed position. The purpose of the helical spring 2 is merely to provide a resilient means in the connection between the clamp 4 and the switch 1, in order to pre- Vent rupture of the cable 3, due to excessive movement of the clutch lever. As indicated in Fig. l the lamp 6 is placed on the dashboard while the lamp 8 may be the lamp usually provided on the instrument board of the 104!y ser;

car. These lamps may be attached to the conventional type of dashboard sockets.v As it is usual to provide these sockets with a switch it is necessary to have ther switches in the closed position when used in conjunction with my device.

In order t0 enable the operator to light the switches without touching theclutch, a suitable press button switch 9 may be provided in any convenient position, such as on the instrument board. Asfindicated in Fig. l the press button switch is connected across the terminals of the'switch l by means ofthe conductors 10 so that the switch l is shunted n by switch 9 when the latter is closed.

. It is obvious from the construction, as illustrated in the drawings andy described in thev foregoing specification, that there is provided a structure as aimed at and set forth in the objects'of the invention, and though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited Vto this particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let* ters Patent is:

The combination witlione of the foot o-perated levers of an automobile, of a normally open electric switch `positioned on the front of the dashboard above said lever, a clamp member having a forwardly extending ear portion secured to said lever near the bend thereof, means for mechanically connecting the switch with said ear portion, whereby saidl switch maybe actuated on depression of said lever, a lamp positioned within said automobile for illuminating a portion of the interior thereof and electrical connections from said switch to said lamp.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 16th 'Y day of September, l1927.

4ininoriiinn L. HART. 

